Starlink

[Real_World]

I have a 2021Thor/Colman 22’ class C motor home built on. Chevy chasis.
I have a solar panel on the roof and have one Litium Iron phosphate battery for house ( 100 amp hour).
I was wondering if if anyone with a similar rig had added Star link satellite internet and would be willing to to discuss their experience and installation.

 

[16ACE27]

I fixed your typo.

Starlink is not RV model specific. There are many here on this Forum who have installed it. how Just put "Starlink" in the search page to get some good info.

As for your model RV. The "big" question is how to run the cable from the router to the antenna. Some even put the router in an outside compartment. But nothing is difficult about the installation. I recommend you:

Decide what Starlink hardware you want to purchase

Look at possibilities for how you want to install the hardware you purchase

Ask questions as they arise about specific obstacles.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

I have a small class C, and we used the Starlink Mini setup in Appalachian Mountains late last summer. Very happy with it. Brother-in-law has the Gen 3 setup... equally happy with his. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

Here's a video explaining both...

 

[atreis]

I have StarLink Gen2 (older hardware) and am very happy with it. It takes about 25-30 watts, so power requirements are pretty low. The new ones might be a bit less.

 

[DavidEM]

I have StarLink Gen2 (older hardware) and am very happy with it. It takes about 25-30 watts, so power requirements are pretty low. The new ones might be a bit less.

But that power consumption doesn’t include the router, whereas on the Mini it is included.

David

 

[45Kevin]

On my very recently acquired Siesta (not even in my hands yet), I will try to run my wire through the hole in the roof for the not needed TV antenna.
If I tape the Starlink wire to the disconnected TV antenna wire I might be able to thread the Starlink wire through the inside of the walls and ceiling by pulling on the not needed TV antenna wire
I'm not sure if I will hard mount the dishy or make a mount where I have to deploy the dishy each time.
Some of our camping is under trees and I still want the option to put the dishy away from the RV.

The Starlink consumes 40ish (mini a bit less) watts and you always have a computer and/or phone and/or TV on at the same time consuming watts. It can add up if you run it for hours at a time.

FYI, I have a deployable fractal TV antenna.

https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Terminology/Fractal-Antenna.html

 

[EA37TS]

On my Super C I have the Gen 3 in either of 2 locations.! If we are in a site with a clear view of the sky ( minimal tree cover ) the antenna is on the overhead looking out the over cab window. It rides here when we are rolling as well.

If the above isn’t sufficient the antenna is on the ground where there is a clear view of the sky and the router is in a storage compartment where I have a 110 outlet.

Both methods work as intended. I like the flexibility of a non permanent or semi permanent mounting method.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

I use a Harbor Freight flagpole (ladder mounted) for fixed, which gives me 25+ feet of vertical for the Mini.

For distant ground deployment I'm going to use an Ethernet cable from the dish to a router in the motorhome. The Mini has an integrated router, but optionally a separate router can be used via Ethernet cable... just like the Gen 3 but having the power cord separate from the Ethernet cable. Otherwise the integrated Mini dish/router signal is diminished greatly by distance.

Like EA37TS, if you have a suitable skylight, many folks use Starlink while mobile... even stuffing the dish into a car sunroof!

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

Speaking of Starlink... has anyone setup a permanent 30 volt boost converter for direct DC power? I see Starlink just released a 12v cigarette adapter... but that's a non-starter... forces you to use a much shorter power cable due to lower voltage. And using the supplied AC to DC power brick is horribly inefficient, and doesn't make sense for RV applications.

 

[16ACE27]

Speaking of Starlink... has anyone setup a permanent 30 volt boost converter for direct DC power? I see Starlink just released a 12v cigarette adapter... but that's a non-starter... forces you to use a much shorter power cable due to lower voltage. And using the supplied AC to DC power brick is horribly inefficient, and doesn't make sense for RV applications.

You sure that adapter doesn't have a built-in DC-DC converter to boost the 12 VDC to 30 VDC? That's the way my 24 VDC required CPAP works off a 12 VDC adapter.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

You sure that adapter doesn't have a built-in DC-DC converter to boost the 12 VDC to 30 VDC? That's the way my 24 VDC required CPAP works off a 12 VDC adapter.

On the Starlink website it appears to be a plain vanilla 12v cigarette adapter with a DC barrel receptacle. Due to Starlink supplying a shorter power cord - 15 feet I think - as part of a "kit" makes me think it's NOT boosted.